Puno wis the territory o the Tiahuanacos (800 A.D. – 1200 A.D.) who wur the heichest cultural expression o the Aymara fowk that established thairsels in wha is the day Peru an Bolivie. The Incas teuk ower these laund in the fifteent century, an the Spainyie, attractit bi the minin industry developit thare, left a important Colonial legacy throughout the entire aurie.

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The Puno region is locatit in the Collao Plateau. The wastren pairt o Loch Titicaca, which is the warld's heichest navigable loch, is locatit in the region. The Andean muntains mak up 70% o the region's territory, an the rest is covered bi the Amazon rainforest.

The loch contains numerous islands whose inhabitants continue tae live as their ancestors hae in custom an tradeetion. The Uros an example o this; this fowk group lives on "floatin islands" that they hae airtificially made entirely o totora reeds, an they navigate in their tradeetional boats made oot o totora reeds an aw. Taquile, Suasi, an Amantaní are kent for their kindness o their residents, their ancestral skill in weavin, their pre-Columbie constructions, an luvely kintraside. The Titicaca Naitional Reserve (36,180 hectares) protects extensive stretches o totora reeds an various species o plants an animals.

The climate is cauld an dry, wi a fower-month rain saison. On the ither haund, the climate o the rainforest is wairm. The watter resources are taken frae the Loch Titicaca, 50 lagoons an mair than 300 rivers. Thare is a important potential in unnergrund watters an aw.

In 2007, a meteorite laundit in the region, triggerin a widespread illness amangst the locals. The exact cause o the illness is unkent, but is speculatit tae be a result o arsenic or ither toxic chemicals that mey hae been released bi the heat o impact.